BATMAN-Themed 2011 Holiday Card! From Start to Finish! Harley Quinn!

Since the 90s, I’ve been commissioned (by famous comic art fan and collector, Tim Chandler) to create a unique BATMAN-related Christmas card! Here is this year’s card, one that gets sent to only about 100 lucky recipients! Tim wanted an “outdoor criminal carnival” theme, complete with the usual characters he asks for every year, as well as the usual “right-side-to-left” reveal composition, upon the opening of the card!

Below: Several rough pencil sketches to get some ideas going! Note Harley Quinn’s constant moving around the scene, from a (poison gas) balloon booth, to soon trying to “slingshot” Batman and Robin into the drink! The early concept also had face-painted kids milling about the grounds, as well as tons of stolen loot! Click to enlarge all images!

Below, left: Figure sketches done in an effort to work out Nightwing’s pose and placement! Below, right: One more pass before the final pencils!

Below: The final pencil version, with Harley moved from her face-painting booth, no kids, Isis the cat in place, and a vat of “expired eggnog” in place of “deadly acid!” Below that is the final inked illustration!